The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

This time, it brought back a cargo of volcanic glass ore, as well as some fire dragon bone fragments.

“The construction planning for the port town has been roughly outlined according to Your Lordship’s design,” Marcus reported in the castle study to Liszt. “The bone fragments at the Burial Ground have been cleaned up, and most of the volcanic glass ore between the rock columns has been mined. If we continue mining, it will damage the grassland.”

“Let’s pause for now. We must not destroy the grasslands; breeding the Black Blood Treasured Horses is important. Besides, with so much volcanic glass, we likely have enough for now. It is a strategic resource, and we have to consider the future of Black Horse Island.”

“So, what’s the next step for Black Horse Island?”

Liszt thought for a moment, “We will start building the residential area for the port town. I plan to increase the number of immigrants to quickly shape the port town and facilitate the development of Black Horse Island.”

Black Horse Island was his future foundation, while Fresh Flower Town was only his temporary habitat.

The first phase of his plan was to construct a small town on Black Horse Island—Port Town, to serve as a beachhead for the island’s development. The Earl had developed Coral Island with resources accumulated over several generations, whereas he was starting from scratch and had to solidify each step along the way.

Black Horse Island needed to be kept secret; for now, he could only entrust the development to Marcus.

After discussing the port town,

Marcus voiced his doubt, “My Lord, have you researched the magical properties of the volcanic glass?” He had been in charge of mining, yet didn’t know the actual use of the volcanic glass.

Liszt did not conceal the truth. “Teacher Marcus, I have discovered the functions of the bubbled magic power; it could be used as a continuous heat source.”

He pulled out a design he had drawn and handed it to Marcus.

“This is the bathhouse plan I’ve designed. During the winter in Fresh Flower Town, many projects require laborers to sweat it out daily. They need a bathhouse to ward off the cold and reduce the risks from catching chills. Children who train in Dou Qi also need the help of a bathhouse, and using the heat from the fire dragon magic power to warm the bathhouse is very appropriate.”

Marcus glanced at the design a few times before handing back the thick parchment. “Your design is exquisite, My Lord!”

He could not understand the abstract architectural scales in Liszt’s drawing.

Putting away the design, Liszt asked Servant Thomas to call for Goltai, preparing to hold a small meeting. The meeting was about selecting a number of sturdy serfs to be assigned to work on Black Horse Island.

“With this, the number of serfs in Fresh Flower Town will be insufficient again,” Goltai complained.

“If we don’t have enough, we’ll buy more; now is a good time to buy serfs,” Liszt had been handling slave-trading as part of daily management, “As for the castle’s gold coin reserves, I will figure something out.”

He planned to sell a batch of mithril ore—a precious strategic material which he originally could not bear to sell. But he was still far from the era when Fresh Flower Town could cast their own armors, and even if he formed a knight squad, they would only likely be equipped with standard armors produced by Tulip Castle, not mithril armor.

With the Smoke Mission in place, more wealth was to come in the future, and current development was more crucial.

There was no need to focus on short-term gains or losses.

Goltai had no objections to buying and selling serfs and said with relief, “Indeed, serf prices will be very low now. Plus, maybe we can attract a few more Parises to our cause.”

“Paris?” Marcus asked, puzzled.

“A female mercenary. Her sister was trafficked to Fresh Flower Town, and she followed… She’s now one of My Lord’s guards, very powerful, at the level of an Elite Earth Knight.”

Marcus asked cautiously, “Can she be trusted?”

Liszt tapped on the table and pondered before saying, “Her basic information should be true, but as for trust, that’s still far off. There are many secret matters you have to guard against her in regard to.”

“Understood.” Marcus nodded and reminded, “However, I suggest that you recruit more followers, preferably from Coral Island. The Tulip Family has cultivated Coral Island for twenty years; the forces here are trustworthy.”

Of course, Liszt understood.

But Paris was a reward from the Smoke Mission, and it involved dragons, which he couldn’t disclose directly. Instead, he changed the subject, “Speaking of recruiting followers, Consultant Goltai, have many people recently expressed their wish to defect to Fresh Flower Town?” As the landlord’s consultant, Goltai was Liszt’s representative.

Goltai replied, “There are many nobles and quasi-nobles with whom I’ve corresponded, but not many have made up their minds to defect. You know, the knights with ambition have all gone to the battlefield with the Earl, leaving behind those who have either lost their ambition or lack the ability.”

“Choose as best as you can, especially young Earth Knights, and quasi-nobles familiar with official duties.”

Young Earth Knights could be cultivated in preparation for the upcoming Knight Squad. Quasi-nobles familiar with duties could start working in Fresh Flower Town and later be sent to Black Horse Island.

“As you wish. By the way, do you still remember Zambrotta?”

“The one stripped of his noble title, the family tutor from Lidun, what about him?”

“He wrote to me, hoping to visit Fresh Flower Town in the next few days to relax; he can no longer contain himself and wishes to find a job here.”

“You first take care of him, and later I will consider his knowledge. If he satisfies me, I shall not be stingy with a job offer; if he is all show and no substance, I won’t compromise my father’s dignity for him.”

…

At the first-floor dining hall’s evening banquet, Marcus saw Paris.

There was no friction; they merely nodded to each other and that was considered an acquaintance. After that, Paris focused on the food; she was completely captivated by the scrambled eggs, egg soup, the bread with its varying flavors, and the fragrant milk in the castle, almost wishing she could mooch for meals there thrice a day.

Her sister lived with Mrs. Harriet, who lived alone and was too lazy to cook.

Of course, to mooch meals in the castle, Paris didn’t qualify to enter the second-floor dining hall; she ate at the same table with Rondo, Lasse, and Liszt’s Retainer Knights on the first floor.

Only nobles and family tutors could dine on the second floor.

Liszt, keen on winning over his subordinates, would often host banquets at the first-floor dining hall, allowing all his subordinates to gather and drink freely at one table.

Of course, he had once entertained people like Karl and Rom on the second floor, but back then, he hadn’t deeply understood the concept of nobility. Now, he wouldn’t do that anymore; most of the time, a strict class system showcased the authority of the landlord and the noble stature.

Occasionally making such a condescending gesture could better win over people’s hearts.

Sitting together for meals for too long might lead some to forget the distinction and assume familiarity implies equality, overstepping the boundaries of status and position.

Position dictates mindset.

Liszt was a noble, so naturally, he belonged in the second-floor chairs. Coming downstairs to eat was just a means of rallying support.

“Security in the territory must be strictly managed. Karl, the Patrol Team needs to expand. The current quota of thirty members is too few; on average, there’s only one Patrol Member for every hundred people. Aim to expand to ninety people, allocating one Patrol Member for every forty, barely meeting the standard,” he said seriously.

“I don’t expect you to make Fresh Flower Town so safe that doors can be left unlocked at night, but any form of crime other than brawling must be eradicated.”